Vehicle-aligning apparatus



July 3, 1962 R. w. SMITH ETAI. 3,042,309

VEHICLE-ALIGNING APPARATUS Filed June 6, 1958 ll www] E.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I7 n LA ""8 INVENTORS ROBERT w. .SMITH BY ROBERT A. VAUGHAN I a coRBETT, MAHONEY, MILLER, FIG I #I RAMBO ATTY5,

July 3, 1962 R. w. SMITH ETAL VEHICLE-ALIGNING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1958 FIG? INVENTORLS w. lSMI'II-I vAUGI-IAN BY CORBET T, MAI-IOIIEY, MILLER, RAMBO ATTYIS. /y MM United States Patent O 3,042,309 VEIHCLE-ALIGNENG APPARATUS Robert W. Smith and Robert A. Vaughan, Columbus,

ho, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, rEen., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 6, 1958, Ser. No. 740,252 3 Claims. (Ci. 23S- 4) This invention relates to vehicle-aligning apparatus. lt has to do, more particularly, with lapparatus for cooperating with .the wheels of la vehicle for `aligning the vehicle laterally relative to a fixed axis, for example, that of the guide rail of a vehicle-handling dolly of `a mechanical parking garage, that of a hydraulic lift or service pit in a vehicle service station, or that of any other structure Where predetermined relative lateral alignment of a vehicle is necessary or desirable.

ln the following description, this vehicle-aligning apparatus will be described with reference to the alignment of a vehicle and specifically an automobile with a guide rail for la vehicle-handling dolly of the type used in transferring vehicles to and from the elevator of a mechanical parking garage, `but it is to be understood that this is for purpose of illustration only and not in the way of limitation.

Vehicle parking garages of the so-called mechanical type employ la vehicle-handling or transferring dolly in transferring a vehicle to and from an elevator used to move the vehicle between selected levels. Such -a dolly is disclosed in the copending application of Robert W. Smith, Serial No. 626,045, tiled December 3, 1956, now US. Patent No. 2,846,186, issued August 5, l958. This dolly operates on a single guide nail on the elevator platform which is brought into alignment with similarguide rails on the floor surfaces fat the various levels. At the level where the vehicles `are received for parking, usually the ground floor, a rail is positioned adjacent the elevator shaft and it is desirable to align the vehicle to be parked laterally with this rail so that the dolly can move onto the rail in proper position Ito lift the vehicle and move it onto 4the elevator. Therefore, it is irnportent that each vehicle to be parked be quickly and accurately ,aligned with this dolly guide rail. Furthermore, it is impontant that the kaligning means be such as not only to quickly align the vehicle with the rail but also to accomplish this without damage and undue wear on the tires of the vehicle. It has been attempted in the post to align the vehicle by means of xed curbs or guides projecting above the oor which usually converge at their forward ends to engage the tires of the vehicle as it moves over the guide rail so as to shift the vehicle laterally as necessary. Obviously, this causes considertable wear on the tires due to the sides of the tires engaging the xed curbs and rubbing thereagainst as well las to the bodily sliding laterally of the tires on the licor surface in the aligning operation. Furthermore, if the angle of approach of `a vehicle relative to the aligning curbs is too great, it is necessary to back the vehicle and try the aligning operation over. Also, the curbs or xed guides serve -as obstructions on the floor to hamper movement of vehicles thereabout. Thus, prior art arrangements for aligning vehicles relative to the dolly guide nail have not been at all satisfactory.

t is the main object of this invention to provide a vehicle-aligning apparatus which will automatically align the vehicle as it moves into 'association with the apparatus and which will accomplish this aligning quickly and -accurately.

Another object of this invention is to provide vehiclealigning apparatus which will accomplish the aligning with substantially no wear on the tires of the vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vehicleice aligning Iapparatus which is of such a nature that the approach angle of the car relative to the apparatus may be substantial without interfering with the proper aligning function of the apparatus.

Still another object of this invention is to provide vehicle-aligning apparatus of the type indicated which is so arranged las to compensate for the slight differences in the spacing of the front and rear wheels of la vehicle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide aligning lapparatus of the type indicated which will not sub stantially interfere with movement of vehicles in any direction over the surface in which it is located.

Various other advantages will be apparent.

One example of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings but it is to be understood that details o-f the structure may be varied Without departing from the basic principles of this invention.

In these drawings:

FIGURE l is a plan view, partly broken away, of the vehicle-aligning apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view showing the apparatus disposed in parallel relationship to `a dolly guide rail.

FGURE 3 is a vertical axial sectional view taken along line 3-3 lof FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIGURE l.

FGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic view transversely through the aligning yapparatus and illustrating its action in the lateral shifting of a vehicle wheel.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic plan view illustrating the gradual shifting of a wheel as it moves onto and along the aligning apparatus.

This invention is illustrated in the drawings as comprising a enadle 9 'for receiving the front and rear wheels disposed in tandem along one side of a vehicle, the cradle being disposed in parallel relationship with the guide rail 12 or other structure with which the vehicle is to be aligned, Although in most installations ya single cradle 9 is suicient, -a pair of laterally spaced cradles may be provided, if necessary, `for receiving the front and rear wheels at both sides of the vehicle. The sides of the cradle preferably comprise a fixed guide flange 1t) iand a roller unit 11 extending longitudinally thereof in spaced relationship to the guide flange. This cnadle arrangement is illustrated best in FIGURE l where the roller unit is shown as consisting of the `axially-:aligned rollers 11a and 11b, the roller 11b being the roller which will finally engage 'and position the front wheel and the roller 11a being the one which will nally engage and position the rear wheel.

ln FIGURE 2, the cradle 9 is shown associated with the guide rail 12 for the dolly of a parking garage. rl`he cradle unit is disposed in parallel relationship with the rail i2. The rollers 11a and 11b are recessed within the floor surface 13 and a plate 14 is mounted on the Hoor surface and suitably secured thereto.

Preferably, .the plate 14 is carried by the Lbeams 15 shown best in FIGURES 4 and 5. These I-beamsare disposed in spaced, parallel relationship and form a pit between them within which the greater portion of the rollers 11a and 11b are disposed. However, the circumference tof each roller projects upwardly through a slot 16 in the plate. Each roller is carried by separate end shafts 17 which are rotatably supported in end bearing 1S yand a central bearing 19. The opposed ends of the rollers are preferably tapered as indicated tat 20. A substantial portion of each roller projects radially above the surface of the plate 14. The amount which the roller projects can be varied but it is preferably less than half the diameter and more than one-fourth the diameter.

As previously indicated, the one side of the wheelreceiving cradle is formed by the fixed flange lo. rl`his flange is formed at the inner edge `of the plate ld extend-ing throughout `the entire length thereof. The flange extends outwardly and upwardly from the edge of the plate at a suitable angle. The spacing between the adjacent edge of the slot lo and the ange lll is such that the tires of the vehicle can be received therebetween. The rollers lla and lib will function to move the wheels towards the ilange lll when the wheels engage the rollers, each 'roller being rotated towards the llange lll, that is, a clockwise direct-ion, as indicated by the arrows in EPCn URES 4 and 5. ln some installations it may be desirable to provide at the outer end of each roller shaft ll' a ratchet wheel 2l keyed thereon and an adjacent ratchet pawl 22 which is provided for engaging the ratchet wheel so :as to permit rotation of the roller in one direction, that is, towards the ilange lll, but to prevent rotation in the opposi-te direction.

The plate 14 clos-ely ts the outer tapered ends 2t) ot the rollers and .their adjacent inner tapered ends as well as 'the bearing structure i9 ,are covered by means of a suitable arcuate cover plate 23 whose edges termine-.te substantially llush with the plate lll. The tapered ends Z of the two rollers are provided for engagement with the tires of a vehicle, the tapering preventing damage to the tires whether they enter at one end or the `other of the cradle.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are exaggerated illustrations of the action of the rollers lla and lib. As 4the wheel indicated at W enters -the cradle 9, it may enter `at a substantial angle and will engage the roller 11a. As soon as the roller lla is engaged by the Wheel W, it will rotate towards the flange lil and tend to shift the wheel towards the llange. As `the wheel W continues its movement into the cradle, the wheel will be gradually moved towards the ange Ili and the angular position thereof will be gradually decreased as indicated in FEGURES 6 and 7. Eventually, the wheel W will be positioned between the second roller 1lb and the ilange l@ in a plane parallel thereto. The second or roar wheel will engage the roller lla and will be lbodily moved rin the same manner. Because of the dillerence in spacing of the front and rear wheels, the use of two separate rollers lla and lllb is desirable. Gradually shifting the wheels in this manner will result in the gradual shifting of the vehicle bodily to properly `align and center it relative to the rail l2.

It will be apparent from the `above description that this invention provides for a vehicle-aligning apparatus which consists of a cradle for receiving the front and rear wheels on at least one side of a vehicle. The wheelreceiving and aligning cradle comprises parallel `sides fonmed preferably of a movable roller unit and a iixed ange. However, if desired, the llange `can be replaced with another `roller unit so that rollers form both sides of the cradle.

The guide apparatus of this invention will accomplish the aligning of `the vehicle quickly and `accurately with substantially no wear on the tires thereof. This is true even though the approach angle of the vehicle is substantial.

The apparatus will compensate for the slight dierences in the spacing of the front and rear wheels yby the use ot' separate, axially-aligned rollers. Although the apparatus will have thc necessary Ialigning function, it will not project from the lloor surface excessively so that it will be possible to drive over the apparatus crosswise if desirable in moving 'cars on the ground door of a garage in which it may be positioned.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of Athe appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than las specificaliy illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

l. Apparatus for bringing the front and rear wheels along one side of a motor vehicle into relative alignment during parking of the vehicle, comprising: an elongated cradle having a relatively narrow, longitudinally extending, flat, wheel-supporting surface upon which the -front and rear wheels alone one side of a vehicle may be driven; an elongated wheel-guiding member extending longitudinally of said cradle adjacent one side of the dat suriace of said cradle and projecting gener-ally upwardly above the level of said fla-t surface for guiding engagement with one of the vertical yside surfaces or" Ia vehicle wheel driven onto the dat surface of said cradle; elongated, generally cylindrical roller means positioned adjacent the opporsi-te side of the dat surface of said cradle in transversely spaced relation to said wheel-guiding member, said roller means having an axis of rotation disposed Ain parallel relation to said wheel-guiding member Iand a peripheral portion extending substantially above the level of the ilat surface of said `cradle for engagement with the opposite vertical side surface of a vehicle wheel driven upon said llart surface; means supporting said roller means for axial rotation; and means connected with `said roller means for preventing rotation of the peripheral portion thereof which extends above the level of said dat surface in a direction away from said wheel-guiding member.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim l, wherein said roller means comprises la plurality of axially aligned, independently rotatable roller sections arranged in tandem for engaging different wheels of a vehicle driven `onto said sui-race, and wherein each of said roller sections is provided with means to prevent rotation thereof in a direction Iaway from said wheel-guiding means.

3. Apparatus as delined `in `claim l, wherein said roller means includes opposite end portions tapering inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said roller means.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

